Make homemade shake and bake mix for pork at home, with simple pantry items, for crispy oven-baked pork chops. This one is made with dried breadcrumbs, like the original version. Start with thick bone-in pork chops for an easy and delicious oven pork chop dinner.
I’m sure this is a nostalgic meal for many people. I know I grew up with it :) But many years later, it still satisfies, both in taste and in ease of preparation!
If you grew up with the box mix, these homemade shake and bake style pork chops will bring the same satisfaction, the same crispy, savoury coating, but with no mystery ingredients.
- Family-friendly
- Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner
- Budget-friendly
You’ll need: Dried bread crumbs (unseasoned, highly recommended), flour, vegetable oil, garlic powder, paprika, sugar, salt, cornstarch and poultry seasoning (the herb blend typically used to season turkey stuffing).
Looking for more pork chop dinner recipes?
Try these Pork Chops with Peppercorn Sauce or Pork Chops with Apple Pan Sauce next!
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Pork chops – While you can use this homemade Shake and Bake breading on any type of pork chop, it really does shine with the thick, centre-cut bone-in pork chops. The extra fat in this type of pork chop adds a lot of flavour to the finished chop and crisps up the breading in lovely ways!
Unseasoned (plain) dried breadcrumbs – For best results, start with unseasoned (plain) dried bread crumbs. “Italian-style” dried bread crumbs are pre-seasoned with different herbs that may not produce the best results when combined with the herbs in this breading. Panko crumbs aren’t recommended for this recipe as they won’t produce a breading similar to Shake and Bake.
Poultry seasoning – This is the herb blend often used to flavour turkey stuffing. Many will already have it in their spice rack. If you enjoy this recipe, it’s a worthy addition to your spice rack, so it’s always handy. In a pinch, there are numerous homemade poultry seasoning recipes online that would work as a substitute to the herb blend.
Garlic powder – Be sure to use powder and not garlic salt, to avoid an overly salty dish!
How to make homemade shake and bake pork chops
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for a complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Add all of the homemade shake and bake ingredients to a small bowl. Stir together well.
Step 2: Drizzle the vegetable oil into the bowl.
Step 3: Stir the oil into the dry ingredients until evenly moistened and sand-like in texture.
Step 4: Pour the homemade shake and bake into a plastic zipper bag. Add one pork chop at a time to the zipper bag.
Step 5: Shake and press lightly through the bag until the pork is evenly coated with crumbs.
Step 6: Place the pork chops with the homemade shake and bake onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake!
Recipe tips!
- Start checking the internal temperature about 5 minutes before the low end of the range. Thin pork chops can go from juicy to dry quickly.
- Let chops rest at least 3–5 minutes after baking so the juices redistribute and the temp finishes climbing a few degrees.
- Adjust the oven time depending on the cut and thickness of your pork chops. See below for guidance.
Here are some approximate oven times in a 400F oven. In all cases, cook pork until the internal temperature reaches 145F.
| Cut | Approx. Time at 400°F | Target Temp (after rest) |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless pork chops | 15–20 minutes | 145°F/63°C |
| Bone‑in pork chops | 20–25 minutes | 145°F/63°C |
Serving suggestions
You can never go wrong with roasted or mashed potatoes with shake-and-bake-style pork chops. Baked potato or baked sweet potatoes would also work well. Any green vegetable, such as broccoli or green beans, would complete the plate nicely.
I also love something a little creamy alongside homemade shake-and-bake-style pork chops! Cauliflower Cheese would be a perfect side, as would creamy Cafeteria Noodles. Creamy, cheesy asparagus would also be lovely.
Orzo is another great option. A roasted vegetable orzo would round out the meal nicely, or how about broccoli cheese orzo? Both of these (and the Cafeteria Noodles linked above) could cook on the stove-top while the pork is in the oven.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
The dry shake and bake mix can be prepared in advance by combining the breadcrumbs, flour, cornstarch, spices and sugar, then stored in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to 1–2 months. Wait to add the oil until just before you plan to coat and bake the pork chops so the crumbs stay fresh and crisp.
For food‑safety reasons, discard any leftover breading that has been in contact with raw pork in the bag.
Leftover cooked shake and bake pork chops will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best texture, reheat leftovers in a 350F oven on a foil‑lined baking sheet for 10–15 minutes, until warmed through and the coating is crisp again; you can also reheat gently in the microwave, though the coating will be softer.
Freeze fully baked chops rather than raw, breaded chops. Cool the cooked pork chops completely, wrap each chop tightly, then freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a 350F oven until heated through.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email and I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
You can unsubscribe at any time.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Shake and Bake Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 lbs thick, bone-in centre-cut pork chops, about 4 chops 1-inch thick *see Note 1 below
For the homemade shake and bake-style breading:
- 1 cup unseasoned (plain) dried breadcrumbs, (not "Italian-style breadcrumbs")
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder, (not garlic salt)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 – 1 1/4 teaspoons fine table salt
- 1 3/4 teaspoons poultry seasoning, *see Note 2 below
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, or similar neutral-flavoured cooking oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (non-convection/not fan-assisted) with the oven rack in the centre of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil. Set aside.
- Add all the shake and bake ingredients except the vegetable oil to a medium bowl. Stir together well. Drizzle the vegetable oil over the mixture, then use a spoon to stir and, with the back of the spoon, gently press the mixture until the crumbs are evenly moistened and sand-like in texture. *Take your time with this step. You want all the crumbs moistened and no dry flour visible.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to a plastic zipper bag. Add one pork chop at a time to the bag. Zip up, then shake, flip and gently press through the bag until the pork chop is evenly coated in crumbs. Place the coated pork chop onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pork chops, one at a time.
- Bake 1-inch thick bone-in pork chops in the preheated 400F oven for about 25 minutes, or until pork registers 145F internal temperature. (Oven time can be anywhere between 20-30 minutes for bone-in pork chops depending on thickness, with thinner pork chops needed less oven time.)
- If the pork chops would benefit from a bit more browning, switch the oven setting to broil and broil briefly about 6-8 inches from the heating element. Watch closely so they don't scorch!
Notes
FAQ
Yes, you can use this homemade shake and bake mix on boneless pork chops as well as bone‑in. For 1‑inch thick boneless chops, bake at 400F for about 18–20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145F. Thinner boneless chops will cook faster, so start checking a few minutes early to avoid drying them out.
Yes, you can mix up the dry homemade shake and bake ingredients (breadcrumbs, flour, spices, cornstarch and sugar) ahead of time and store them in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 1–2 months. When you’re ready to cook, simply measure out what you need, stir in the oil until the mixture is evenly moistened and sand‑like, then proceed with coating your pork chops. For food‑safety reasons, discard any leftover mix that has come into contact with raw meat; only the unused dry mix that hasn’t touched the pork should be stored.
To make air fryer shake and bake pork chops, preheat your air fryer to 375F, then lightly grease the basket. Prepare and bread the pork chops as directed, then cook them in a single layer for about 10–14 minutes for 1‑inch thick chops, flipping halfway through, or until they reach 145F internal temperature. Let the chops rest for 3–5 minutes before serving so they stay nice and juicy.
The best way to keep shake-and-bake pork chops juicy is to avoid overcooking them. Start checking the internal temperature a few minutes before the suggested time, especially if your chops are on the thinner side, and remove them from the oven as soon as they reach 145F. Let the pork chops rest for 3–5 minutes before serving so the juices can redistribute; the temperature will rise a couple of degrees as they rest, and the meat will stay moist and tender.
Yes, this same homemade shake-and-bake breading works beautifully on chicken pieces. Use it on bone‑in, skin‑on chicken breasts, drumsticks or thighs and bake at 400F until they reach the recommended internal temperature for chicken (165F for breasts and 175F for thighs and drumsticks). Cooking times will vary by cut, with bone-in pieces needing 40-50 minutes or boneless about 20-30 minutes.
More pork chop recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
